Toe-softener



F M, FURBEH.

U35 SOFTENER.

Hummm. min sP. 1 i. um.

1,340,825, A @wanted May 18, g..

WVU/727 j f UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

FREDERICK M. .'EURBER, OF REVERE, MASSAHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TOE-SOETENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 11, 1916. Serial No. 119,493.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. FURBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Revere, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Toe-Softeners, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several gures.

This invention relates to apparatus for softening parts of shoes, and in particular to apparatus used in preparing the toe portions of shoes for the lasting operations.

It is desirableto soften the materials at the toe of the shoe prior to the lasting operation in order that they may become easily and closely conformed to the last in the pulling over and lasting machines. Some of these materials, suoli as leather uppers, and fiber or leather boxes may be softened by water or steam vapor, while others, such as self hardening or Beckwith boxes may be softened by heat without moisture in any form, but in every case it is desirable to supply n a little moisture to the leather parts in order to prolong the period of limpness after the leather has cooled. Although, as stated, a little moisture is desirable it is difficult to control steam so that it will not burn some kinds of leather, for example, bark-tanned leather, while, on the other hand, water would stain the leather and leave a mark that would render the shoes unfit for sale. It is therefore a present custom to have several softening ma-l chines of different types in connection with the lasting machinery in order to treat properly the different kinds of shoesy in course of manufacture. It is an object of my invention to provide a softening apparatus which shall be suited to all types of shoes requiring either dry or moist heat.

A feature of my invention comprises novel shoe softening apparatus constructed and arranged to supply either dry 'or moist heat to the shoes or parts to be treated. The necessity for several softeners of different types is thus avoided. Another feature of my invention comprisesa softener for shoes having means for applying Vhot vapor to the shoes 'and also means constructed and arranged to be interposed between the shoes and said means for transmitting the heat of the vapor to the shoes and for preventing the moisture of the vapor from reaching the shoes. Another feature comprises a shoe treating means having an adjustable support for a last whereby lasts of different sizes may be so supported as to hold the shoes placed on them in proper relation to the treating means.

Other features of the invention comprising various combinations and arrangements of parts will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

A long and narrow casing 1, supported on legs 1, is arranged to contain water in its lower portion 2. This casing as shown in Fig. 1 is long enough to accommodate several shoes side by siderand has a sloping lower wall 9. An overflow pipe 3 projects upward through the lowest portion of the casing near its center and is arranged to carry off the surplus water, its upper end being placed at the desired upper level of the water as shown in Fig. 2. A steam supply pipe 4 connects with a steam chest 5 which is placed longitudinally along the upper wall of the `casing 1 and from this steam chest a number of pipes 6, 7 extend into the casing and down below the level of the water. The steam from the pipes `6, 7 bubbles up through the water and ascends into the upper part of the casing 8, being tempered and made thoroughly moist by its passage through the water and thereby made less likely to burn the shoes. It will be noticed thatthe pipes 6 extend deeply into the water while the pipes 7 dip only a short distance below its surface. The water is thus heated uniformly and the temperature of the vapor given off is kept constant. f

The sloping lower wall 9 of the casing has a parallel extension 10, forming a pocket l1. The upper side of the casing cloth andV dampens and soi w' tend .only av portion `of' thel lengthof the at the same time. .In case .only dry heatA "is desired. the vapor screen 14C, 15 may. be

has a slot 12 running its whole length, opening into a long chamber 13, longitudinally coextensivewith the casing, the upper` wall of which is formed by a sheet of wire netting 14: which may be doubled upon itself as shown, with Va cloth 15 between its folds, in order to cool the steam as it passes through. The netting rests on a series of ribs 13 formed on the upper surface of the upper wfall of the casing 1, which separate it from the upper wall of the casing, permitting the free circulation ofvapor under the netting. Their-,ib 11i', forming the front wall of the chamber 13, is scalloped, as shown at 15, inV order to provide for the escape of the vapor from the chamberv 13 and the consequent maintenance of circulation. l have found that even with the pressure of the vapor in the chamber 13 ,substantially equal to that of the. outside air, enough vapor will penetrate the screen and cloth to moisten satisfactorily the uppersof shoes placed on steam, the last with the shoe on it may be brought to the machine and the last pla'cedin the pocket 11 while Ythe vamp is separated from thelast and placed over'` the netting 14. Some of the steam in the chamber 13rises through the netting and ftens the materials. of the shoe so that they will draw. properly overthe toek of the last in the Vpulling over operation.

For treating shoes which contain self hardening boxes, and in the case of which it is not desired to useV moist heat, a metal plate 16, preferably of brass, in order to avoidcorrosion, is fastened in any suitablermanner so as to-cover the chamber 13, being placedover the netting and cloth. It fits the casing at. the side toward the shoe, so that no steam will pass throughk the joint, but" is Vsuiiciently, loose at the other side to permit .the flow of vapor. The shoe is placed on the apparatus as above de'-Vr scribed, but now only the hot metal, plate 16V will be in contact. with the upper. The heat will soften .theV boitv and Yprepare it properly for the pulling over operation.

If desired, the plate maybe made to eX-v vapor screen `111, 15, leaving .theremainder uncovered. The apparatus is then adapted forfuse as a dry and a moist heatsoftener dispensed with, the plate 16 forming the upper wall of the chamber 13.

If the self hardening boxes are to beY slipped, i.' e. softened before being placed in the shoe and then inserted, while hot, between the lining and the upper immediately before the shoe is placed-in the pulling over machine, they may be placed on the apparavtus as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 wherein a fiat box-blank is indicated at 17, eitherk with or without the brass plate 16. It is the custom to Ause dry heat for this purpose in some factories, while in othersV steam is used.

In order to adapt the apparatus to shoes of different sizes, I have provided an adjustable abutment 18 in the pocket 11. This abutment comprises a bar of wood extend.

ing lengthwise-of the pocket, and may be adjusted as to depth bythe thumbV nuts 19, which clamp Vthe angles 20, on which the bar is mounted, so that the last yrests against it when in just the right position to hold the vamp properly over the chamber 13. The pocket 11 is thereby made adjustable in depth. v y

y1 have thus provided ak softener which permits the use of either dry or moist heat and thereby avoids c the multiplicity of machines which arenow necessary in factories handling a variety of styles, and have retained the well known advantages resulting from the application of the heat or moisturebetween the last andthe upper,

protecting the last and the insole from the action of the softening agent.

Having' described my'jinvention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by LettersV Patentof therUnited States is:

1. An apparatus of the CharacterdescribedV comjlnisingmeans Yforming a conduitwfor conducting hot vapor to the Vwork and including a foraminous element for engaging that part of the work that is to` be treated, and meansfor preventing the passage yof vapor through said foraminous element when it is desired to heat the work without moisteningit.

2. A softener forV shoes provided withV means for applying hot Vvapor tothe shoes, and means shoes. Y

3. In an apparatus of the class described, shoe stock supporting. structure comprising heat conducting Vmeans constructedV and arranged to communicate moist or,l dry heatn or both to stoclr supported on the structure in contact therewith,rand means for controlling the .vapor so lthat ythe ,heat but not the moisture thereof will ben transmitted to the shoe-stock.vv Y

4. A machineof *the classjdescribed having an element, constructed and arranged to" support parts ofshoes and to transmit hot vaporthereto, vand a plate constructed and Vfor conducting dry heat tothe arranged to cover said element to support parts of shoes and to transmit heat to them from the hot vapor, while protecting them from the hot vapor.

5. A machine of the class described having means for treating shoes with hot vapor transmitting hot vapor to them, a support constructed and arranged to hold a. last with the vamp of its shoe supported on said element, anda baiile plate for said element fitting it suiiiciently tightly on the side toward the last to prevent the escape of vapor to the rear parts of the shoe upper.

7. A machine of the class described having a shoe treating element constructed and arranged to extend between the last and the upper of a shoe on said last, and a support for said last having an adjustable abutment for contacting the toe of the last.

8. A machine of the class described having a last support, and means constructed and arranged to extend between a last on said support and the upper of a shoe on said last, and to treat the upper, said support being adjustable, whereby lasts and shoes of varying sizes may be properly supported in relation to said means.

9. A machine of the class described having means for supporting a shoe to be treated and means Jfor supplying vapor for treating the shoe, comprising a container adapted to hold water, and steam supply pipes constructed to project to different distances below the level of said water.

10. A softener for shoes having a vapor chamber, means for supporting a shoe adj acent to said chamber, a member constructed and arranged to transmit vapor from said chamber toward said shoe and a heat conducting member arranged to be interposed between said transmitting member and the shoe to protect the shoe from dampness.

ll. A softener for shoes having av steam chamber, a series of channels extending from. said chamber to the outside air, said channels having a vapor conducting wall, and means i'or supporting a shoe in contact with said wall.

12. A softener for shoes having a shoe treating means arranged to extend between a last and the vamp of a shoe on the last, and having a pocket to hold the last, said pocket being adjustable in depth whereby lasts of all sizes may be so held as to place the shoes on themin proper relation to said treating means.

13. An apparatus of the character described comprising means Jforming a conduit for conducting hot vapor, said means including relatively movable elements constructed to serve alternately to control the vapor so as toconduct the latter in substance to the work or to transmit heat from the vapor to the work while preventing the substance of the vapor from reaching the work.

14. An apparatusk of the character described comprising means forming ay conduit to conduct hot vapor, said means including a fora-minous element arranged to support the work and to conduct vapor to the work supported thereby, and a movable baille member adapted to be interposed between said foraminous element and the work to support the'latter and to transmit heat from the vapor to the work while preventing the substance of the vapor from reaching the work.

15. An apparatus of the character described comprising means orming a conduit for conducting hot vapor and including a work-supporting element through which the vapor may pass to the work, and means adapted to be positioned so as to prevent the vapor from reaching the work and to conduct the heat from the vapor to the work.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK M. FURBER. 

